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12.10.2012

The vocally anti-union activist Dana Loesch was in rare form today... by cheerleading for Michigan's disastrous Right-To-Work For Less legislation that was passed by both the Michigan State House and the State Senate. That state's Governor, Rick Snyder (R), is very likely going to be turning Michigan into yet another RTWFL state by signing the bill, possibly as early as tomorrow.

The President went to Michigan with the obvious purpose of throwing punches in the right-to-work battle. Interesting. Remember when Obama told a senator “I won” when questioned on his stimulus plan? Well, Republicans won in Michigan. Elections have consequences.

More importantly, the President’s argument makes zero sense. He presupposes that with right-to-work comes lower wages, which is categorically false.

From 2000 to 2010, employment in right-to-work states increased 2.3 percent, compared to a 4.0 percent decline in non-right-to-work states. Indiana saw employment decrease 6.9 percent over the same period. That means Indiana lost roughly 207,000 jobs over the past 10 years. In contrast, 1.2 million jobs were created in right-to-work states.

The President’s claim that RTW brings with it lowered wages is demonstrably false. It’s the statement of a politician working to save one of his biggest cash cows: union bosses.

Yet these are the same individuals who vote for a party whose mantra is “spread the wealth” and “pay your fair share” towards entitlements mostly used by 46% of people who don’t pay anything into the system via income tax. “Freeloaders,” as my caller would describe them.

It’s illogical and betrays the truth: it isn’t about workers’ rights, it’s about control. Maybe big labor should “spread the wealth.”

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama weighed in on the contentious labor battle playing out in Michigan, condemning the Republican push to make Michigan a so-called "right-to-work" state as nothing more than a partisan maneuver that will hurt the working class.

"And by the way, what we shouldn't do -- I've just got to say this -- what we shouldn't be doing is trying to take away your rights to bargain for better wages and working conditions," he added to loud applause from the audience. "We shouldn't be doing that. The so-called 'right-to-work' laws -- they don't have to do with economics, they have everything to do with politics. What they're really talking about is giving you the right to work for less money."

Michigan is set to become the 24th right-to-work state, with Gov. Rick Snyder (R) poised to sign the controversial bill after it was fast-tracked by the GOP-controlled legislature. Thousands of union supporters protested at the state capitol in Lansing last week, and more protests are planned for Tuesday.

Michigan's rules require that the House and Senate wait five days before voting on each other's bills. The legislature is set to approve final passage of the right-to-work legislation on Tuesday, and Snyder could sign it the same day.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder rose to power in 2010 cloaked in the veil of a moderate. He appealed to voters by saying he was going to be "laser focused" on the policies that grow Michigan's economy rather than get mired in the politics that have kept us off that track for too long. He promised he understood what it would take to prop up the middle class despite being a millionaire himself. He said time and time again that he would run Michigan like a business and forge bipartisan coalitions to end politics as we know it.

The one problem with that? It was all a lie.

Last week, in a press conference hidden safely away from the scrutiny of Michigan's public, Governor Snyder removed any remaining shred of credibility as a moderate with a stunning about-face on "Right to Work," a policy that he himself had recently declared "too divisive" and not something that was in Michigan's best interest. Snyder said not only was he now going to sign Right to Work into law, but that he and his fellow Republican legislative leaders had already schemed to set the bills for a vote that same day, eviscerating the public's right to input.

In a matter of moments, Governor Snyder did more than go back on his word to the people of Michigan, he exposed the "tough nerd" persona he rode to office in 2010 as a complete fraud. This was not a decision based on economics, it was one based on partisan politics driven by special interests at its absolute worst.
In the days since, the governor's allies have defended his actions by saying that the legislation provides workers "freedom" and "choice."

No matter how they try to spin it, Right to Work is solely about taking away the strength of workers as they collectively bargain for a decent wage, better working conditions and improved benefits. It's anti-worker, anti-family, and the way they're subverting the democratic process to pass it is simply anti-American.